Nov. 30th, 2009
- As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb — Семь бед, один ответ (букв. Все равно, за что быть повешенным — за овцу или ягненка)
- Ask no questions and be told no lies — He спрашивай, и тебе не солгут
- Avoid a questioner, for he is also a tattler — Сто вопросов задаст и болтать горазд
- A bad penny always comes back — Фальшивая монета всегда возвращается
A man said to his companion in a public house: 'Who's that down-at-heel fellow propped against the bar? I seem to know his face.' 'Don't you remember him ? That's Alec Palmer, the drunken oaf. His father threw him out years ago. When the old man died he sneaked back home to live rent-free and spend his mother's pension on beer. A bad penny if ever there was one.'
- Beggars must not be choosers — Нищие не выбирают
- Best is cheapest — Лучшее всегда дешевле
- Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion — Лучше быть головой собаки, чем хвостом льва
'They've thrown me out of the first team,' said Fred, 'and made me captain of the second.'
environment, and learn again to exercise his will—his
personal responsibility in the realm of faith and morals.
—Albert Schweitzeri
Denial of Responsibility
“Oh no, I can’t go out tonight; my husband won’t let me.” “Yes, I know you bought your plane ticket six weeks ago, but we have too much weight on the plane, and your name is first in the alphabet; we’ll get you on a new flight first thing tomorrow morning.” Have you heard similar statements? How did you feel when you heard them? I tend to feel frustrated, annoyed, angry, and sometimes confused.
Any time we say something of this nature and don’t take responsibility for our actions, we put a wall between us and other people.We can’t connect with a live human being when we blame our actions on company policy or on somebody who is not present.
If we need to say no, acknowledging our own feelings and needs can dramatically shift the energy of that no. The shift occurs when you own your behavior and show the human side of why you have decided not to comply with a request. You might say that you prefer not to go out because your husband won’t like it and you’re worried about upsetting him. Similarly, it might be company policy, but it is more meaningful for another person to hear that you’ll lose your job if you comply with her wishes.
When we own our actions, other people can connect to our humanness, which often brings agreement and relief to all parties, even if the result doesn’t change.